


eyes shut

by Ray_of_stars



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Childhood Trauma, Ehhhh, M/M, Other, aka before you meet your soulmate, and after you can see colour for the first time, but daryl indirectly comes out to merle, established relationshp, its complicated, rick the ultimate wingman, you see the world in black and white
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 05:43:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9109084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ray_of_stars/pseuds/Ray_of_stars
Summary: Paul's vision flashes as he steps up to the door- it was a mistake to leave Rick with his -- his Daryl- he should turn back and--the door opens suddenly."You been stood in front of my house for a while now, what do ya want.""You're...Merle?""Yeah, why?"Paul releases a sigh and after a millisecond of berating himself continues, "I don't mean to be a bother-""Spit it out, boy." Now he's sees starting to see whom Daryl picked up his mannerisms from with having mostly absent and otherwise incompetent parents."Your brother- my uh good friend...he's in the hospital. I just thought you might like to know-"





	

**Author's Note:**

> i watched the movie Lilting the other day and this is indirectly inspired from it with a mix in of a soulmate!au. hope you enjoy!!

Paul (soon to be Dixon) Rovia took pride in always being a caring man; that's why he's sat in the staffroom in his lunch, on the phone to his significant other. 

 

"Has Rick sent out the invites?"

 

"Yeah, you don't gotta worry about all that Paul. He's my best man, it's his right to take care of the engagement party."

 

"Okay," he huffs out, in slight frustration at himself. "There's uh, something else I wanted to ask you about."

 

"What was that?" Daryl gets out, the sound of traffic heavy in the background. "I lost you there."

 

"Have you...talked to your brother?" 

 

A few moments pass between them in silence and Paul almost thinks Daryl couldn't hear him again. 

 

"We ain't inviting Merle." It's not anger in his voice, but a rigid finality. 

 

"Why not?" They've talked about this a number of times, in the presnece of their friends who had disagreed even more than Daryl to not have him know about the engagement and even the existence of Paul in connection to Daryl. 

 

 _"Daryl_." He warns. "I know better than anyone: it's not healthy to run from your problems."

 

"Don't pull that Art History bullshit on me, Rovia, save it for your students," he snaps back. "And who said he was a problem?"

 

"You're avoiding telling him. He needs to know." And then, "Michonne and Rick...heck _even Maggie_ think he's a problem. I mean, sure they might not want him there, but this is our thing. It's _ours_ , Daryl."

 

He knows it's cruel, but it's true; Daryl had been avoiding his brother for too long and over the years, the bad memories of a not-so-home festered in his mind and were stored away as self-punishment for the bad days. 

 

"Daryl?"

 

"We'll talk about this when we're at home-"

 

"You said that last time." He protests with a whine.

 

"Paul, even if we invite him, he's not going to agree with... _us_ -"

 

"We're _soulmates_! What's there to disagree with?" Paul shouts back in frustration, clutching his phone tight.

 

"It don't matter, he doesn't like queers-"

 

" _Daryl_ ," he reprimands, "we are _so_ much than what people think of us, you should know that now."

 

"I know Paul, I know. But I'm telling you he won't understand. He'll ruin my life again." There's another tired sigh from Daryl before he heaves in a nother breath. Paul recognises the signs of defeat when he hears them. "Do what you like...but Rick may veto your invitation for the greater good.

 

Paul laughs at that, pulling up one hand to cover the smile that stretches across his face; he's almost aching with happiness.

 

"I have one seminar left today. Want me to pick up some dinner?" He bites his lip as Daryl thinks on the other side. Even after all this time together, he's anxious to be so open with a man who had turned him away harshly when their worlds had first collided and colours flooded their monochrome lives. 

 

"Nah, Aaron's invited us over for spaghetti." Paul can hear the teasing in his voice and relaxes.

 

"Spaghetti? _Again_?" Daryl's laugh is full of sweetness and everything Paul has fallen in love with. "How is Eric still married to him?"

 

The conversation tails off as Paul's next class is due to start so they hang up with "i love you"s and the prospect of spaghetti to look forward to. 

 

It's not until he's nearing the end of the hour when Paul feels a dreaded twinge in his chest; similar to the ones he gets as he waits up for Daryl when he has to work late nights because he can't fall asleep alone anymore. 

 

There's a question asked in concern from a student but he's so immersed in the pain he doesn't recognise it. There's something wrong. This is isn't the stress induced panic attack he is so used to; he's happy, he's happy-

 

-his world turns into a hell when the monochrome colours flood back into his vision. He's not seen these dull colours since before he met-- _Daryl._

 

It's common knowledge and taught early on that everyone is born with a Soulmark, an identifying mark that a person's true soulmate will carry too. Paul remembers blindly searching for Daryl's the morning after they had slept together for the first time; the southerner had grabbed his hand sleepily, Paul freezing in apprehension, and guiding his fingers to his ribcage, exactly where Paul has his too. 

 

It is also true that everyone is born with a degree of colour-blindness which would dissolve and be replaced by a colourful spectrum upon meeting your soulmate. 

 

Paul remembers celebrating the end of a particularly stressful working week with Maggie and Tara, his colleagues, along with Rick when he had glanced up at their reticent southern friend from his drink and his world had shifted. Daryl had, of course, stormed away. 

 

It took weeks of convincing from Rick for Daryl to meet Paul again; the latter had accepted that Daryl wanted nothing to do with him, and continued on with new found amazement at the colours of the world; Paul had certainly heard of Soulmates not being compatible and romantic relationships that had trumped any bond created by Soulmarks, along with the tragic passer-by stories of having maybe glimpsed a Soulmate in a crowd and never seeing them again. 

 

Daryl had, with grudging contempt, apologised and with the help of their mutual friends, and plenty of coffee dates, their relationship blossomed successfully; it was hard with Daryl's internalised homophobia but he had relaxed around Paul and PDA was no longer uncomfortable for him. 

 

It was also tragically true that if one lost their  sense of colour, it was because their Soulmate had passed. Paul had been dreading this day since he was born, and even more after meeting the love of his life. 

 

There's a hand on his shoulder and he's being seated at his desk. He doesn't realise Maggie is talking to him until she presses a warm hand to his face, a comforting gesture, just not comforting enough in the midst of the knowledge that Daryl was-- _gone_. 

 

"Maggie." His voice cracks. "He's gone."

 

"Look at me Paul." He sees Tara hovering in the background too, on the phone. "What happened? Was it a panic attack?"

 

"I-" it feels like he's living through a nightmare. But nothing can wake him up from this reality. "Daryl, he-"

 

"He's not one to run- he's good to you and-"

 

"He's gone! I can't _see_ the colours anymore." Maggie takes in a sharp breath- she knows how this feels, how this goes, the pitying looks after a infamous serial killer had made his last victim of Glenn. 

 

"Oh, Paul. I'm _so_ sorry." They're both crying now and he can't help but think of their conversation and the spaghetti-- it seems like it's been years since Paul has seen his face. 

 

Rick is at the door and then he's kneeling by Paul's side, talking about a _speeding car_ and _reckless driving_ and _alcohol consumption_ and _Daryl walking to the garage_ and _it was an accident_ and a _hospital_ and -- he's crying too-- and--

 

"Take me to him," Paul says quietly.

 

 


End file.
